Saul Goodman
: "Hey, I just talked you down from a death sentence to a six months' probation. I'm the best lawyer ever." : ―Jimmy McGill after being accused of being the worst lawyer ever. James "Jimmy" Morgan McGill, better known by his professional alias Saul Goodman, is a former criminal lawyer and the former principal attorney of Saul Goodman & Associates. He operated out of a cheap strip mall office and ran over-the-top late night TV ads advising potential clients they'd "Better Call Saul!" when in trouble with the law, promising "I fight for YOU, Albuquerque!" While his late-night commercial ads seemed tacky and cheap, Saul was an incredibly effective lawyer, using illegal tactics and dirty schemes to make sure his clients came out on top. He is the main protagonist of the spin-off Breaking Bad series, Better Call Saul, wherein the events six-years prior to Breaking Bad are explained, though the series also delves into events that occur after the Walter White story. Saul serves as the lawyer and adviser for Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, getting them out of several difficult situations over the course of their drug business operations. Dressed in flashy suits, Saul maintains extensive connections within the criminal underworld, and serves as a go-between connecting drug distributors, evidence removers, impersonators, and other criminals-for-hire. Saul arranges for Walt to launder drug money through Walter White Jr.'s website (SaveWalterWhite.com) and dispatches a cleaner (Mike Ehrmantraut) to Jesse's apartment to attend to Jesse and dispose of any incriminating evidence after his girlfriend Jane overdoses from heroin. As Walter began to trust Saul, Saul became consigliere to Walt in his drug empire, laundering Walt's drug money for the White family. Saul expanded Walt's profits by arranging for the latter to supply crystal meth in bulk to the Albuquerque Mafia, through his contact Mike Ehrmantraut, who was himself consigliere to the mob boss of Albuquerque, Gustavo Fring. Better Call Saul Season 1 Jimmy McGill started out as an unsuccessful, individual lawyer in Alberquerque, New Mexico who is falling behind on his bills and is only paid a measly $700 per defense. He also has to care for his older brother Chuck who is suffering from electromagnetic hypersensitivity until it turns out that Chuck is the reason that Jimmy's legal career has been flopping because Chuck intentionally blocked Jimmy out of joining HHM, a corrupt and monopolistically large legal firm in ABQ, New Mexico that profits off of absorbing the vast majority of potential clients from independent lawyers such as Jimmy himself. Due to a shortage of clients, he devotes most of his time to pursuing a legal deal with Betsy and Craig Kettleman who are accused of embezzling millions of dollars from a company Craig works at as a treasurer. Jimmy uses pragmatic tactics such as buying them coffee and flowers, but Betsy decides that Jimmy is not the best fit for them. Instead, she favors HHM over Jimmy, and forces her husband to dismiss Jimmy as their lawyer. The Kettlemans settle upon Kim Wexler, a close friend of Jimmy's and a lawyer working for HHM, as their lawyer. However, Kim refuses to take their case to trial as she recognizes there is minuscule to no chance of them ever winning. She advises that Craig plead guilty and accept a significantly shorter sentence than try to put up a futile fight in court, which is what Betsy and Craig are putting all their hopes into. Jimmy is determined to help Kim out. After the Kettlemans suddenly disappear, Mike Ehrmantraut convinces Jimmy that they must have ran away and staged kidnappings due to the slight damage done to their house. Jimmy notices that their backyard chain door has been swung open, so he goes investigating for them out in the open searching day and night. He finds them camping out in a tent singing mundane songs to entertain their unamused children who are hating the outdoors and want to go home. Jimmy calls Kim, then pops up into their tent ("Here's Johnny!") and finds their only bag that looks filled up. He grabs it, but Betsy engages in a tug-o-war for it. The bag rips, exposing a large amount of cash. Jimmy threatens to expose their crime of embezzlement, which would incarcerate Craig for the next 30 years in having committed a first-degree felony: grand theft of over $1 million. The Kettlemans offer him a cash bribe to keep quiet and walk out without telling anyone. While Jimmy does accept the bribe which came out to $30,000, a few days later he comes back once they've decided they want him to represent them in court. Jimmy orders them to plead guilty, but the Kettlemans adamantly refuse and order that he find some way to feign their innocence which won't be possible. Personality Jimmy McGill may present himself as a flamboyant charismatic lawyer who will fight for and represent anyone as a client. But inside, he's a financially depraved man who is underfunded to the point he'll stoop as low as to breaking the laws himself if it means he can have enough money to be off the streets and support himself. Despite his sleazy, flamboyant appearance and mannerisms punctuated by his outrageous low-budget TV commercials Saul is a highly competent lawyer who is able to solve problems and find loopholes in order to protect his clients. He is also reluctant to be associated with violence or murder, not just because it'll tarnish his already damaged reputation and public image but also for his own safety. Jimmy admires American pop culture especially celebrities, music, television shows and movies, and he always brings them up in conservations. He's not depicted onscreen as an avid TV watcher, but he could be one off-screen though given he's very busy and working hard all the time it's a mystery how does Jimmy get any time to watch TV when he has to juggle both being a full-time lawyer and having a part-time job shooting commercials for small businesses. Trivia *In the prequel series at the beginning of his legal career when he had to compete individually against HHM, Jimmy McGill described himself as a "kiddie lemonade stand competinig against a Walmart". *Bob Odenkirk hinted that if Better Call Saul ''were to end, then a positive direction might come for Gene. *In ''Better Call Saul, Jimmy charged $700 per defendant in court. In Breaking Bad, Jimmy now charges more than $4,600 per defendant. This isn't due to inflation or finding success in his legal career, it's that Saul became more demanding over time and vowed to reach the American Dream faster. *After assuming the identity of Gene, he closely resembles his client Walter White. *Saul/Gene is absent in the Breaking Bad series finale "El Camino". Reception Saul Goodman has been acclaimed by both TV critics and audiences alike in both ''Breaking Bad ''and his spin-off ''Better Call Saul. ''He is seen as a representation of how someone who is the image of legal justice can be corrupted by financial difficulties and the need to save oneself before saving others. Category:Extravagant Category:Mastermind Category:Comic Relief Category:TV Show Heroes Category:Live Action Heroes Category:Heroic Criminals Category:Friend of a Villain Category:Related to Villain Category:Master Orator Category:Tricksters Category:Heroic Gangsters Category:Charismatic Category:Businessmen Category:Male Category:Honorable Category:Heroic Karma Houdini Category:On & Off Category:False Antagonist Category:Leaders Category:Right-Hand Category:Non-Action Category:Wealthy Category:Arrogant Category:Provoker Category:Lawful Neutral Category:Titular Category:Crossover Heroes Category:Grey Zone Category:Tragic Category:Good Vs. 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